Let’s clear up one common misconception to make things easier: Self-care means taking care of ourselves so that we can be healthy, do our job, help, and can do all the things we need to, and want to accomplish in a day.
You're right if you think you’ve been hearing more about self-care now. According to Google Trends, the number of searches for “self-care” has doubled since 2015, and it makes sense, self-care includes anything we do to keep ourselves healthy, physically, mentally, and spiritually, pretty important, right?!
Engaging in a self-care routine has been proven to reduce anxiety, reduce stress, improve concentration, minimize frustration and anger, increase happiness, improve energy, self-esteem, and more.
Why is Self-Care Important?
Self-care is an important part of living a healthy and happy lifestyle. Looking after ourselves both mentally and physically is crucial to taking control of our health.
We lead increasingly busy lives and it can be easy to forget to put ourselves first, especially if we have multiple responsibilities, but looking after ourselves will make us feel better. The better we feel, the better we will be in all areas of our life, from work to relationships. It’s a win-win situation!
Self-care doesn’t have to involve a considerable time commitment. It’s as simple as taking a bath, relaxing, taking a walk, or eating a favorite meal. It’s about committing to putting ourselves first, even just for a while.
I spent years trying to find ways to improve my “self-care routine”, and now I can confidently share my top favorites with you. They have become a part of my lifestyle, and I truly hope these will make a change in your life because they have for me.
Here are some self-care tips to improve our well-being
- Pay attention to our physical health
Physical health is a core part of our self-care. Our body and mind have a unique connection, and it's difficult to be in high spirits when we’re not feeling good about our bodies. When exercising, we should choose an activity we love. It could be a regular run, walking, yoga, or just about any other activity that makes us feel alive. I personally enjoy Chloe Ting, she does weekly and monthly workout plans and helps me be consistent.
- Get enough sleep
Too many people are sleep deprived, and it takes a toll on our physical and mental health. Sleep scientists recommend that adults need at least 7-8 hours of sleep every night. Our body needs time to rest and renew.
- Be a healthy eater, good nutrition is good self-care
Our diet is a major part of self-care, and it's an aspect we should be wary about. Healthy, nutritious foods are one of nature's best gifts to us. Try making a habit of consuming good foods that build and fuel our bodies.
Talking about eating healthy, I have to recommend a superfood blend from OMG SUPERFOODS, Beauty Blend, known for giving a natural beauty boost and helping us feel like our youngest selves with superstar ingredients. If you’re going to follow this recommendation, mix it into smoothies and shakes, or in plain water, and start feeling better every day.
- Identify the things that matter to us
We need to ask ourselves tough questions to identify the things that matter to us the most.
I sometimes ask myself questions like “How do I want to be remembered when I’m gone?”, “How do I want to make a difference in the world?”, “Are the people that I’m surrounded by making me happy?”, and so on…
Our answers to these questions should determine our approach to living. Spend more time with those we would love to be with and deliberately live our life the way we want to be remembered. Keeping an eye on our priorities will help us make decisions about how we spend our time.
- Change our mindset
We focus on the negatives while showing little appreciation for the beauty that surrounds us. It's what happens when we have a bad breakup, and all we can remember is how badly the person hurt us. We forget all the beautiful things that the relationship brought us. Hold on to the good memories even if the unpleasant ones consume us. Take time to be still. If we can adopt a gratitude mindset, we are on our way to achieving the highest level of self-care.
- Learn to say No
Too many times, we say “yes” to every request in order to not hurt the feelings of another party. It's important to realize we’re only human and we can't make everyone happy. Saying “yes” to everything is bad for our physical and emotional health.
I try to keep these tips in mind in my day-to-day life because I truly want to make a change and show myself more respect and love. I hope they can do the same for you. If kept in a healthy balance, you will experience high levels of wellness. Remember to not overcomplicate yourself, you should enjoy this process, take these tips step by step, day by day, and experience which ones resonate with you the most.
Self-care is an important activity to do every day. Doing so will lead to a better balance of well-being and lead toward improved overall health physically and mentally.
We’re committed to bringing solutions that simplify healthy living, that can help us feel better and live a longer, happier life, and in saying that, life is precious, and it’s meant to be enjoyed.
Remember you can always get in touch with us if you have any questions, it’s as simple as that!
Enjoying the journey makes everything so much easier, have a great day!